- 567
ROBERT LONGO | Study of Nancy
Estimate
600,000 - 800,000 HKD
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Description
- Robert Longo
- Study of Nancy
- ink and charcoal on vellum
- image: 40.6 by 33.7 cm; 16 by 13¼ in.sheet: 48.4 by 60.3 cm; 19 by 23 ¾ in.
signed, titled and dated 2014
Provenance
Metro Pictures, New York
Acquired by the present owner from the above
Acquired by the present owner from the above
Condition
This work is in very good condition overall. Evidence of minor abrasion observed at the center bottom edge of the work, which is undisruptive to the main composition. Very minor undulation of vellum is inherent to the artist's chosen medium. Please note that this work was examined within its frame. Framed under Plexiglas.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
"The roses and the bombs and the waves are things that exist at the moment of their being: a bomb is meant to explode, a rose is born to bloom, a wave is destined to crash. They are at the moment of their fulfillment." – ROBERT LONGO
Fascinated by the transient moments of life, Robert Longo creates photorealist works in charcoal capturing the ephemeral height of an object’s existence. Study of Nancy is a part of the artist’s Ophelia series in which he exactingly details a rose in its exquisite beauty in full bloom. The strikingly realistic portrait exhibits his adept skill at shading and drawing; the rose bud unfolds gracefully, each petal peeling back to reveal receding dark depths. The artist employs chiaroscuro to consummate effect, elevating the underprivileged practice of drawing to new heights. In Longo’s own words, he was driven to try “something that wasn’t mainstream…There was painting and sculpture and then there was drawing…They always seemed to be these intimate things, so the idea of elevating drawing to painting scale seemed to be radical…I wanted the works to operate on a really grand scale” (the artist cited in “Working Towards Affection: An Interview with Robert Longo”, Border Crossings, September 2010, pp. 40-41). Bewitchingly alluring, the image of the bloomed rose is simultaneously ominous; its beauty is deadly as the more it blooms, the closer it is to its death. In one image, Longo represents the circuitous phenomena of life. Works by Longo are collected in institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.
Fascinated by the transient moments of life, Robert Longo creates photorealist works in charcoal capturing the ephemeral height of an object’s existence. Study of Nancy is a part of the artist’s Ophelia series in which he exactingly details a rose in its exquisite beauty in full bloom. The strikingly realistic portrait exhibits his adept skill at shading and drawing; the rose bud unfolds gracefully, each petal peeling back to reveal receding dark depths. The artist employs chiaroscuro to consummate effect, elevating the underprivileged practice of drawing to new heights. In Longo’s own words, he was driven to try “something that wasn’t mainstream…There was painting and sculpture and then there was drawing…They always seemed to be these intimate things, so the idea of elevating drawing to painting scale seemed to be radical…I wanted the works to operate on a really grand scale” (the artist cited in “Working Towards Affection: An Interview with Robert Longo”, Border Crossings, September 2010, pp. 40-41). Bewitchingly alluring, the image of the bloomed rose is simultaneously ominous; its beauty is deadly as the more it blooms, the closer it is to its death. In one image, Longo represents the circuitous phenomena of life. Works by Longo are collected in institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.